Firmware can either provide a standardized operating environment for the device's more complex software (allowing more hardware-independence), or, for less complex devices, act as the device's complete operating system, performing all control, monitoring and data manipulation functions.

Since 1996 most automobiles have employed an on-board computer and various sensors to detect mechanical problems.Firmware such as the program of an embedded system may be the only program that will run on the system and provide all of its functions.Before the inclusion of integrated circuits, other firmware devices included a discrete semiconductor diode matrix.A television remote control is an example of an engineered product that contains firmware.The firmware monitors the buttons, controls the LEDs, and processes the button presses in order to send the data in a format the receiving device, in this case, a television set, can understand and process.